Rules question #3...please help....

[Mark Dexter]

Originally posted by IUgrad92
RX Ref,

It's a violation if he catches it or TOUCHES it before establishing in the front court?

I'm not RX ref (although I do work as an Rx technician and do stay in Holiday Inn Expresses from time to time ), but I'll answer this question - yet it's a violation even if the ball is only touched. Consider this example - A1 has the ball in the FC, A1 rolls the ball into the backcourt, where A2 tips it - BC violation, even though there was no player control. 9-9 says that a player shall not be the first to touch the ball, yadda, yadda . . .

And what is the answer if you flip the situation. Ball is in backcourt with A1, A1 throws to A2, who is currently in frontcourt but running towards backcourt. A2 jumps from the frontcourt, catches the pass, and lands in the backcourt. What's your call?

Backcourt violation. Let's look at the four "keys"
(1) There must be team control.
(2) The ball must attain frontcourt status.
(3) A# must be the last to touch the ball before it goes BC.
(4) A# must be the first to touch the ball after it has been in the BC.

1 is obvious in this case.
2 - the ball attains frontcourt status when it touches airborn A2 - see 4-35-3 for location of an airborne player and 4-4 for location of the ball/
3 - When A2 touched the ball, it was FC.
4 - When A2 landed while holding the ball, he was in the BC.

Since all four conditions were met, we have a backcourt violation.

(How's that for a short post? )